You are where I belong
by HeRmIoNe-At-HeArT-tRuElY
Summary: Darkness has fallen among the wizarding world, but there is sill glimer of hope amoung the young lovers as the venture to change their lives completely a bit of HR & HG please read and review xxxx
1. The walk out of fate

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters (duh, how could I compare to JK?) but the idea is mine (well the HG HR is what is one EVERYONES MIND) but read, enjoy and review (I haven't had any reviews before sniff)

**You are where I belong….**

Darkness had fallen early upon Sussex. Even though it was only August, dark times got the better of the world, darkness was taking over.

Down the quiet street of Privet drive, a dark figure suddenly appeared as if by magic, running towards the end of the street. Out of breath, the figure kept running looking at random houses either side of the road. Finally, she found what she was looking for.

Bushy hair tailing behind her, she ran up to a house labelled number four, with emasculate gardening laying 2 feet in front. She seemed to study the door intensely, as if gathering courage to knock upon it. But she knew how much courage she'd need to do this, for this is where the Dursleys lived.

Soon, she rapped the door somewhat timidly. After a few gruelling seconds she gave a breath of relief as the exact person she wanted to see opened the door, and not his terrifying Muggle uncle.

'HERMIONE!' the boy cried in exclaim

'Shhhh let me upstairs before _they_ see me'

Harry Potter, of 17, stood their looking perplexed but did as he was told. He let Hermione slip through the door and tiptoe out of sight and up the stairs to, he assumed his bedroom.

As he watched her disappear, a booming voice came from the Dinning room.

'Who is it, boy?'

'Just some salesman, told him where to go'

A grunt was all he received. _Like I care_ he muttered to himself, and followed Hermione's example of tiptoeing up the stairs.

He pushed his bedroom door open quietly and found Hermione poking her fingers into Harry's snowy owl, Hedwig's , cage who was hooting with affection.

'What are you doing here?' he asked straight away, trying not to sound too rude

'Thought you might like some company to the Burrow'

He then remembered. Bill and Fleur's wedding. How could he forget?

'Yeah…how did you get here?' he asked

'Apparation of course. Didn't want to apparate straight in here though, never know what might go wrong.'

Hermione, as she was older than Harry, had passed her Apparation test a couple of month's back. Harry however couldn't take his, as for one thing he was too young for the first testing and was then wrapped up in the traumatising death of Dumbledore to take the second opportunity.

'Guess I'll be flying to the Burrow then'

'I'm sorry Harry but yeah, I'll be apparating. You'll need your cloak over you…'

'Yeah, I know Hermione' he sighed. 'Guess I'll have to say goodbye to the Dursleys then'

As Harry was now of age to leave, he could openly tell the Dursleys he was leaving with the satisfaction of them letting him as they hated him just as much as he did them. As he predicted, this proved an easy task and Dudley, The Dursleys son and Harry's cousin gave a whooping cheer at the news. Uncle Vernon beamed like a Cheshire cat and Harry swore that there was a tear of happiness and relief in his Aunt Petunia's eye.

He returned upstairs to Hermione, broom in tact, retrieved his Invisibility cloak from his trunk, and trudged downstairs to the front door. Hermione tiptoed passed him and slipped through the door.

Harry thought this would have been a happy time, leaving the Dursleys forever, but due to what was going to happen after the wedding, the though deprived him of the joy. Dark and difficult times faced him and his two best friends.


	2. The silence of truth

Chapter two 

The warm late August sun rose upon the Burrow at Six o'clock in the morning. The area was quiet, and no life seemed to be around.

The was a quiet slip and soon Harry appeared on his broom in front of the Burrow's front door, invisibility cloak trailing behind him. He wasn't entirely sure what he would do when he entered. What would he say? What would he do? Many problems faced him by entering the Burrow, the second place in the whole world that he felt most at home. Well maybe the first now that Dumbledore was no longer at Hogwarts…

_I can't delay this anymore_ he thought to himself, took a deep breath and pushed opened the stable latched door.

Sitting at the Kitchen table ahead of him where to two people he was far from scared meeting, Ron and Hermione.

'Alright mate?' Ron asked with a truly concerned voice

'Fly Ok?' Hermione asked

'Was Ok. I'm fine…well as fine as I can be I guess'

Ron, being his best friend in the entire world, gave an understanding nod.

A silence fell upon the three teenagers. Hermione carried on sipping elegantly at her cup of tea, Ron slouched back in his seat looking interestingly up at the ceiling and Harry cast a gaze over to the far corner of the room.

There, piled up, where a mass of beautifully wrapped gifts, Harry assumed to be wedding presents for Bill and Fleur.

'It's hard to think that such a beautiful thing as a wedding could happen now isn't it?' Hermione said, obviously noticing where Harry was looking.

'Yeah...I'm happy for them though…too right they shouldn't let Voldemort get in the way of their love.'

Again silence fell upon them. Harry edged over to the table and pulled a chair next to Ron and sat rigidly on it.

After about 5 minutes, Mrs Weasley appeared from the staircase.

'Oh Harry dear, so glad you could come' She said with a trace of sadness.

Then Harry did something very unexpected and sudden. He hastily scrapped back his chair, ran over to Mrs Weasley who was a couple of feet shorter than him, wrapped his arms around her and begun to cry.

' I know it's hard Harry dear, Be strong' she said conformably, with a quiver of sadness in her voice.

Ron and Hermione seemed to understand, as they didn't judge this sudden action as Harry sat timidly back into his chair, wiping his eyes. He thought to himself, why shouldn't he of done that? Mrs Weasley was possibly the closest thing to him to a parent. Mrs Weasley walked slowly into the living room, picked up some stray washingin from the sofa and dissappeared into the garden sniffing

'Harry?' Ron piped up once she had left.

'hmm?' Harry looked up

'Are you _definitely _not going back to Hogwarts this year?'

'Yup, I'm doing...' he looked around cautiously as none of the Weasleys knew of their plan ' I'm doing what I talked about, you know, go to Godrics Hollow and…. Yeah you know. ' he gave them a perplexed look 'You still set on coming with me? I don't want you to get…'

'Hurt? Harry, we don't care, we're coming with you and that's it!' Hermione said aggressively

Harry couldn't find the words. Ron and Hermione were such good friends, they were willing to sacrifice their lives to help him. So he just smiled.

After a while, a door creaked open. At first Harry didn't take much notice. This was a usual occurrence in the Weasley home as they had many family members and visitors. After a few seconds, Harry realised the new habitant of the kitchen didn't either move or talk. He looked up and immediately went red in the face. It was Ginny.


	3. I will never leave you

Chapter 3 

'Ginny…Hi!' Harry said, still bright red in the face. He gazed into her eyes. She genuinely looked shocked to see him there. Surely she expected him?

'Hiya Harry' she said somewhat gloomy and turned her gaze to the floor. 'So…been up to anything nice?'

_That was a stupid question _thought harry, _been up to anything nice? I've been at the Dursleys!_

'No, not really. You?'

'Hmm'

Hermione and Ron gave each other a suppressed look. Trying not to look like they were too interested in the minor conversation, Hermione reached behind her and grabbed the latest _Daily Prophet_ from the kitchen side, and opened it at a random page. Ron carried on starring randomly at the ceiling

'Listen…Ginny...I'

'There is no need to say anything, I told you last term. I understand completely' and with that she retreated from whence she came and back up the stairs.

Harry, who had been sitting at the edge of his seat during the ordeal, rested backward in his chair and sighed. _What on earth am I going to do? _He thought to himself.

It seemed like hours before anything happened, but as this was the Weasley home, silence couldn't linger forever. With an all mighty whoosh, green flames erupted from the opposite side of the room from where the 3 teenagers sat and soon afterwards, two flaming red-haired boys (or Men as they liked to call themselves) can swooping into the kitchen. Fred and George Weasley, the twin brothers of Ron.

'Hey guys! Wassup?' Fred asked cheerfully

'Oh bee in their bonnets I see' said George after a careful glance over their faces. Clearly, Harry thought, they wanted life to continue despite what had been going on. And in a way he admired that.

'Oh come on being gloomy like this isn't going to get anyone very far!' Fred said as he walked over to Harry and pulled him up of his chair by the scruff of his neck

'Hey what are you doing?' Ron yelped, clearly having the same done to him by the other twin

'Taking you out to play Quidditch of course, moping around isn't going to get you anywhere!'

How could they say no to that? Harry and Ron grabbed their broomsticks and followed swiftly to the front door. Hermione grabbed a few books (a usual occurrence on Hermione's behalf as she didn't like flying that much) and followed Fred and George to the area covered in trees to play a short 2 on 2 Quidditch whilst Hermione sat under a shrub reading _ 'A wand through time'._

This was what it was all about thought harry. Quidditch could take his mind of anything. Any troubles that happened to be going around in his head came second place after concentrating on flying on his Firebolt.

After about 2 hours, the boys' hands were becoming numb ('These rubbish brooms might give us splinters if we don't rest now!' exclaimed Fred) so they all touched down (some more softly than others) back down to the slowly dying grass, beside Hermione and the shrub.

'About time! My eyes were really beginning to hurt after all that squinting!'

'Can't blame a couple of guys for having a bit of….' Harry tailed of as he turned his head slightly passed Hermione and noticed Ginny appear around an old oak. Soon everyone else noticed he was staring at something and turned to follow his gaze. Ginny went red.

'Harry…Can we talk?'

Harry caught Hermione and Ron's eyes, both gave an encouraging nod and he turned back to Ginny.

'Yeah sure' He thrusted his Firebolt into George's arms and paced past the shrub over to Ginny, whose flaming red hair was gleaming in the sunlight.

As soon as he reached her, Ginny grabbed hold of his hand and led him deeper into the surrounding trees. Soon they reached a clearing. At first Ginny took her hand away from Harry's and became more interested in a scurrying squirrel running towards a tree. After about a minute or so she slowly brought her head up to face Harry, who had been gazing into her face and was startled with a jump.'

'Listen Harry this might seem stupid but...how are you?'

Harry gave a befuddled face. Soon realising this he quickly changed his expression and thought of an answer.

'I'm OK, coping if that's what you mean'

'Why for some reason do I not believe you?'

Now Harry was really confused ' I'm fine honestly, you don't have to worry about me'

Ginny turned away from Harry and walked towards a stray log opposite them and sat down putting her hands in her face and began to cry. Harry, who didn't have a clue what to do next, just followed his instincts and ran over to Ginny, sat himself down and put his arm around her.

'What's wrong?'

'I know you say, "don't worry about me" but I do! I can't help it! You far too special to me to let go! I can't just let you go out there! I can't!'

She put her hands back into her hands and began to sob once more. To Harry, this came across as a bit of a shock because he always considered Ginny as a very strong person.

'I will never leave you. Not ever' he finally said and without any warning, put his finger under her chin, guided her face to face his, and kissed her softly on her lips.


	4. Everyone should be Happy

Chapter 4 

The days whittled past at the Burrow on the lead up to the wedding. Bill and Fleur were dashing here and there arranging numerous things, same went for Mr and Mrs Weasley. Fred and George made odd appearances when they were bombarded with student shoppers, stocking up on particle jokes for school.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny however, seemed to be the more relaxed subjects of the Weasley home.

Soon, the night before the wedding came. Bill was complaining of a constant headache, when the men dragged themselves in at one in the morning, and went straight to bed, closely followed by Mr Weasley, Charlie (the Weasleys eldest son) Remus Lupin (yet another quest) and Mrs Weasley who had waited up for them into the night.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny all sat up in front of the burning fire, crackling away, although they were all rather quiet and subdued.

To Ron and Hermione's concern, they had noticed that Harry and Ginny had been rather 'close' since they disappeared into the clearing a couple of weeks ago. 'Were they back together?' they constantly asked each other, and they weren't being any different now. Sat in the corned of the room, huddled on the floor, was Harry with his legs straight out and Ginny who was lying her head across his lap.

Suddenly, George gave an anonymous sigh.

'What's that for?' Ron questioned.

'My dear little brother, it is nothing but the sigh of thought.'

'Uh oh' Ron said with a little giggle.

'Just like you not to appreciate the thoughts of a genius!' Fred piped up.

'Genius is going a little too far…' Ginny defended.

'Not when you hear my theory dear sister. It is that, Fred and myself have a date. Mum and dad are obviously…dates. There's Lupin and Tonks and then there's your happy bundle right here.'

'What you mean?'

'In short my dear twin brother is saying, you need a date to a wedding, what are you four going to do about it?' said Fred.

The four teenagers looked nervous towards each other. What _were _they going to do?

'Well I suppose I'll be going with Harry, that's if you don't mind!' Ginny quickly added when she saw Harry's somewhat shocked face.

'I'll…I'll….be….d-delighted' he nervously replied.

Fred and George gave a slight snigger.

'What now?' Ron asked.

'Can you not do maths at all? There is four of you, you all need dates, two of you are sorted which leaves two and…'

'Yes yes alright I get it! Hermione do you want to be my date for the wedding?' Ron said in a relaxed tone.

'Yes definitely!'

Everyone seemed a little taken aback by this abrupt, so sure answer. Was she desperate or something? Or did she deep down wanted Ron to ask her that? Soon she picked up the cool vibes surrounding her.

'That's only because I feel I _have_ to' She said, attempting to retrieve her dignity

Fred and George gave another laugh at the sight of Ron's red, burning face.

xxx

It was 2 o'clock in the morning and the whole of the Weasley house was fast asleep. The wedding that only finished an hour ago had proved a huge romantic success. Bill and Fleur seemed as happy as ever and the gleaming look on their faces didn't change when they apparated to a grad applause to their honeymoon destination, Hawaii.

Harry lay awake, recollecting the memories of the past day. Hermione and Ron did go to the wedding together and seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves despite the evening before's discussion. Another happy couple that were appearing in Harry's mind were himself and Ginny. They had gone on so well and were very cosy with each other, he wandered why they even broke up in the first place

But then he realised and came back to reality. Voldemort. Voldemort had caused so much unhappiness in his life. Harry lay awake still, but not thinking of happy, romantic thoughts but the terrible memories he stored of Voldemort and his ways of getting to him. That's why Ginny did not lay in his arms right now.

After a while, just as Harry had begun to doze off, the bedroom door creaked open. A figure stood in the doorway and slowly walked towards him. Soon Harry realised that this figure was Hermione, so he immediately turned towards the wall and pretended to be asleep. She continued walking towards him and gazed over his resting body, the turned on the balls of her feet and walked to Ron's bedside.

'Ron' she whispered softly 'Ron, wake up. Please.'

When she received no answer her soft whispers turned into harsh hisses. '_RON wake up!'_

'Huh what?' Ron awakened.

'Ron I need to tell you something really important' she said and she crept onto the end of his bed and sat down rigidly.

'Yeah go on then' Ron said with a tone of uncertainty.

'Ron, I don't know _why_ I feel this now or either why I am telling you at this time of morning, but I just _have_ to tell you and that I …'

'Spit it out Hermione' he said softly

'Ron I think ..I think I love you'

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't know whether to laugh or to cheer gut he knew he couldn't do either as this would ruin what he knew would be one of Ron's proudest moments ever because as his best friend, harry knew one thing about Ron that Hermione didn't.

'I love you too Hermione'

judging by the movement of bed sheets Ron had sat up and gave Hermione a hug. Soon after, harry heard pondering steps leave the room. When he thought it was all clear, he sat up right in his bed

'Nice one mate!'

'Shut up harry!' Ron said, trying to act angry but was failing helplessly as he could not wipe the cheerful smile of his face. He lay back down. Harry did also.

_Just because Voldemort is out there, doesn't mean we can't be happy _ Harry thought to himself, and fell asleep.


	5. It's not the end

Chapter 5 

Harry and Ron awoke early the next day (the person whose fault this was, was Ron's, as he decided that he was excited about the events of the early morning and wanted to discuss it in detail with Harry) and went downstairs to breakfast to find that they weren't the only members of the households awake.

'Morning boys!' Said Mrs Weasley rather cheerfully.

'Morning!' Ron said, as equally cheerful. Harry on the other hand smiled at Ginny came over very distant to the world and sort of glided over to the table and sat next to her.

'Good night wasn't it boys?' Mr Weasley who was sitting at the head of the table said behind the _Daily Prophet._ He got no answer from Harry or Ron.

Mr and Mrs Weasley soon realised that their efforts for conversation were being wasted and continued with their business whilst Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George tucked into their traditional English breakfast in silence.

'Oh good morning Hermione dear' Mrs Weasley announced the arrival of the smiling Hermione after some time. 'Please say that you can start a decent conversation! These boys and Ginny seemed to have been struck with some kind of Happy Bug!'

' Yeah it's called the Love Bug!' sniggered George.

'And _we _haven't been struck by it dear mother!' Fred said, sounding almost offended.

'Come of it! Your tongues were down those girls' throats all night for what I saw of you!' Laughed Charlie who had been leaning against the stair banister for quite some time, listening in to the conversation. Mrs Weasley glowered at the twins at this latest comment. The twins however gave Harry and Ron a cheeky wink and continued eating their bacon and egg.

Hermione made sure she was sat next to Ron, by politely asking George to switch seats with her ('Well, if you insist on sitting next to lover-boy I'm sure I can condemn it') and smiled when she was comfortably seated to the equally smiley Ron.

'So, Harry, looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?' Mr Weasley looked up of his paper and said. Judging by Harry's shocked face and the silence he was receiving, he knew he had asked a very insensitive question 'Sorry Harry, didn't…didn't think'

'No, no it's O.K Mr Weasley'

'No I should of thought. I knew you were close to Dumbledore and all but I…'

'Well it so happens Dad that myself, Harry and Hermione won't be returning to Hogwarts this year' Ron piped up.

The whole table fell silent and looked at Ron, even Harry and Hermione who had clearly no expected such an abrupt announcement.

'Ron…we haven't thought it through!' Hermione hissed.

'No Hermione he's right. It's about time they knew!'

'Oh but Harry we're not even sure….'

'I am' Said Ron

'Me too' Harry seconded.

'Will one of you care to explain _what_ exactly is going on here!' Mrs Weasley said, slightly angry.

'Mum, basically we…' Ron started.

'Why on Earth do you dream of not returning to Hogwarts is beyond me!'

'Well it's not exactly safe anymore is it? With Dumbledore gone!' Fred shouted.

'I don't thing we need your input in the situation thank you Fred!' Yelled Mr Weasley, who had now folded his paper less carefully and flung it half heartedly across the table.

'Mum why do you need to know their business, _Harry's_ business! You're not exactly his parent are you? Just let them get on with it! Charlie said.

'Charlie, I don't think that was fair, your parents have done a lot for me…'

'I'm not going to go back either' announced Ginny

'Ginny…' Harry said with a warning tone.

'Can everyone please just be quiet and let them explain their intentions!' But Mr Weasleys fight for peace and tranquillity didn't work very well as the whole table had erupted it full blown argument.

It must have been 15 whole minutes before Harry (who during the time of this debate hand his head in his hands) had taken a stand.

'Shut up! All of you! Just SHUT UP!'

Mrs Weasley especially looked very taken aback by this sudden anger of Harry's.

'Do you want to know what we are doing or not?'

It was amazing. By Harry's new control a wave of silence washed it's way over the hot faced people.

'Right, thank you' he said with a sigh of exhaustion and began to tell their intentions.

xxx

'Harry…. I don't think' 

'Don't Ginny this is hard enough as it is'

'I knew of what you wanted to do, but not _that_ it sounds really dangerous'

'Ginny please…'

'Harry'

'Hmm?'

'Please don't go. I can't let you get hurt!'

Ginny and Harry where in the top most bedroom, packing Harry's trunk.

'Ginny, sit down a minute' Harry softly took Ginny's hand, an guided her over to his bed. 'You know I have to do this…'

'Yes, but…'

'No Ginny just listens a minute please' he took a deep breath ' you know I have to do this. There is no one else who knows about what there is to be done! And how to do it! You have to let me go'

'I know. It's just so hard, I've never felt like this for anyone. Harry I love you…'

' So let me be happy. And I want be entirely happy until Voldemort is out of our lives and I can be with you without any worries at all.'

'Harry, what if you don't come back?'

'I will come back, even if it is just for you, I'll never leave you, forget you or stop loving you Ginny. This isn't the end'

Downstairs, the scene was highly emotional. Mrs Weasley was wrapping herself so violently around Ron it was if she was never going to let him go.

'Mum, please, I'll be fine'

'I'm always here for you Ronald, never forget it. We all are'

' I know mum'

Then Harry witnessed something he had never seen before. Fred and George with slight tears in their eyes.

'Ron, you ever need us, we'll be right behind you. And that goes for all of you OK?' Fred said.

'Yeah, ever need some helping kicking Evil ass, just gives us a sign' George said and they embraced all three young Hero's into an almighty hug.

'See ya later 'lil Bro' said Charlie, patting Ron on the back.

'You three take care yes?' Mr Weasley emerged from the living room with a parcel.

'What's that?' Ron asked

'Just a little something from us all'

Ron opened the parcel. Soon they discovered that it was a Photo, of all the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione, from the wedding, all smiley and happy. Engraved at the bottom of the wooden frame were the words 'Your family are always here for you'

'Thanks Dad' Ron choked and gave his father a hug.

'Where's Ginny?' Harry asked.

'I'm here' said a voice. Ginny had emerged from the stairs. She ran down the last steps, ran across the kitchen and leaped into Harry's arm and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

'Ginny..'

'No harry don't' and with that she embraced him in a long kiss which no one made any comment on. 'Write to me...please'

'I will, definitely, it will keep me going'

'I love you'

'I love you too, and I will be back for you, I promise.'

Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She hugged everyone and ran out the door sobbing.

'Be brave you two! Mrs Weasley said, trying to choke back her tears.

'We will' Harry said sighing.

With one last hug or pat (or in Ginny's case, kiss) from everyone, Harry and Ron followed Hermione out of the door. She was sat outside the house on a wooden bench, still sobbing. When she saw they had come out, she got up, a lead the way down the narrow lane mindlessly.

A few minutes down the lane Ron broke he uneasy silence.

'That was easy really, telling them…'

'Goodbye? Telling them goodbye was easy? How can you say that Ron? We have just said goodbye to some of the most important people in our lives whom we might never see again and you thought it was easy?' and with that she broke down into tears, and fell into Ron's arms. Harry noticed that Ron too, had a tear in his eyes.

Harry wondered down the lane a little further and thought about what Hermione just said. If they felt that way, why did they come with him?

_Because they love you_ a voice inside his head said _they want to be with you all the way to protect you._ Harry was satisfied with this.

'Harry? You OK mate?' he heard Ron call to him in the distance.

'Yeah I'm fine. Well as good as I can' he said has he re-joined them. Hermione gave him a weak smile and Ron patted him on the back.

'So, what now?' Ron asked

'Fly to Godrics hollow I quess' Harry said as they set of to the foot of the dusty lane, without looking back.


	6. Home of Sadness

Chapter 6 

"Anyone got anything to eat? I'm starving"

"Oh please Ron, there are more important things in this world than your stomach1" lectured Hermione.

"Well that banquet at Bill and Fleur's wedding didn't exactly take my mind of food, made it worse!" Ron said with a longing expression on his face.

Harry, Ron and Hermione, with only each other for company were uncomfortably camping out in Godrics Hollow, planning their greatest, most intense year as Hogwarts students. Only thing is, they were not to be at Hogwarts itself.

The horrors of last year still lingered in their minds. You could see it even more so in Harry's eyes, despair, desperation, determination all laid clearly on the surface of his, now very fierce face. These exact horrors are what drove Harry and his two very loyal friends out of Hogwarts and possible to their biggest mission of their life.

"So this is Godrics Hollow?" Asked Hermione, gazing around the somewhat eerie cave.

"Yeah" Harry said shortly.

"Well I can't lie when I say it isn't what I expected. It's not very…"

"Glamorous? No Hermione it's not. Many people have died here, glamorous is the lease of what it is!" Harry snapped.

Harry noticed Hermione's hurt, taken aback expression as she sat slowly on a nearby-ridged rock.

"Sorry, it's just, Dumble.." Harry stopped himself there, saying Dumbledore's name hurt him a lot these days. "C'mon, lets get sorted. Ron could you grab the bags from outside. Don't want anyone to suspect anything"

"Sure" replied Ron, and with that he walked towards the moonlit cave opening.

Harry started ruffling around the dimly lit hollow, looking for wood they could bun for fire. He wanted to try and keep busy, as now there was an awkward silence between Hermione and himself. Suddenly, Hermione still perched on the rough rubble spoke.

"You know, saying his name will help the grieving process." Harry turned to look at her with a disgruntled face. "Sorry, shouldn't of said that. I'm barley over the shock myself…" with that she began to cry.

Harry immediately dropped the twigs and logs he had collected, into a pile on the floor and moved quickly to comfort Hermione. He sat beside her and slowly put his arm around her quivering body.

"I'm sorry. It's you who should be like this not me. Oh I'm just a mess!"

"No your not it's completely understandable. I…" suddenly Ron walked in and Hermione stood up so quickly that Harry thought she was going to bump her head on the amazingly low ceiling. She began to dry her eyes furiously with her pastel blue sweater. She hated Ron seeing her cry.

"Everything ok?" Ron questioned.

" Yeah fine, why shouldn't it be?" Hermione said rather jumpy.

"Only asked" Ron picked up a dark violet rucksack he clearly dropped earlier in exhaustion "Say Hermione, what the hell have you got in here?"

"Oh, just a few books. I figured if we're not going to be at Hogwarts, I'd teach myself a thing or two"

Ron looked up with a puzzled look upon his face. Why would anyone want to do schoolwork if they didn't have to?

"Right…I'll just dump these over here" he said with a grunt.

Harry was studying his messy pile of wood. He stared blankly at the misshapen log, not thinking of anything in particular.

"Ron, got any matches in those bags?" he said suddenly.

"Yeah" Ron looked very confused but rustled through the little belongings they brought with them never the less. Sure enough, he came across an oblong shaped box. "here" he said as he chucked the matches over to Harry. Immediately Harry began to strike a match to light a fire. Silence fell over the three as Harry continued to struggle with the tough little sticks, Hermione began to read 'Darkest creatures known to wizard kind' and Ron starred mindlessly around the cave with his knees tucked right up to his chin. Soon enough, after being fixated by the spilled contents of Harry's black bag, Ron piped up.

"Mate, why do you keep this thing. " Harry looked up from his matches. "It's not like it's any good to you" He was holding up a shiny gold locket. The same golden locket himself and Dumbledore had risked their lives for earlier that very same year. The same golden locket that posed as something crucial. The same golden locket that posed as a seventh of Voldemorts soul – a Horcruxe. But as fake as they come.

"Never know, might help. Give it here Ron" Harry said.

Ron chucked the fake Horcruxe with the same mis-angled throw as he did with the matches, and found himself a stray log to sit on next to Harry. Harry sat in utter silence, fixating on the locket, twirling its chain in between his fingers.

Voldemort, so evil that, when killing someone, parts of his soul are separated from him so he becomes even more indestructible. Voldemort hid every part of his soul in an object. Harry knew roughly what he had to find for he needed to destroy every part of Voldemort to destroy 'The Dark Lord'. Otherwise it would be he, Harry who would have to be destroyed.

Dumbledore had already destroyed one, a ring. Harry himself destroyed the diary. From going in and out of Dumbledore's swirling Penesive, Harry learned that he needed to find the locket, the cup, and the snake, something of Griffindor's or Ravenclaw's and Voldemort himself. This is what he needed to do, for Hogwarts, for the wizarding world, for his parents, his friends and for Dumbledore. This, Harry believed, was his and his friends' destiny.

Harry, after a while looked up from the dangling locket. He turned to his left and saw that Hermione was still shaking. He then looked straight in front of him and saw that his scattered pile of wood was still waiting to be lit. He slumped of his seat and bent down to retrieve the matches.

Harry put the locket into his pocket and was about to strike a match when Ron spoke.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything Harry but, there is a spell to do that"

"Yeah, I forgot". Since Dumbledore died, Harry found to it hard to remember that he was connected to magic. In Harry's eyes, doing magic now was pointless. Magic never saved Dumbledore, in fact it killed him.

"INFERIO!" Ron yelled the incantation and with a crack, flames suddenly emerged from the carelessly places twigs and logs.


	7. The return of Evil

**A/N: **by the way I forgot to tell you when I wrote Chapter 6, chapter 6 is the only existing chapter of my other story that didn't seem to go anywhere so sorry if you have to read it again or if it doesn't make entire sense but I really wanted to write this chapter soooooooooo much so I hurried up with it, without checking it over.

Thank you ALL for my reviews and keep on doing so! We haven't reached the best part yet!

Chapter 7 

'_Dear Ginny,_

_How are you?'_

Harry started writing his letter to Ginny. How are you? What a stupid question that really is! He hovered his quill over the parchment he was writing upon, and soon, a drop of ink splattered on his, what was looking to be, lousy letter to Ginny.

'Shit' he hissed to himself

'Harry! What on Earth was that for?' clearly Hermione had heard him, and she disapproved strongly of swearing.

'Don't worry' said Harry and he turned his head over to the fire side where Ron and Hermione where sat, toasting Marshmallows, looking happier than they had done in days. He gave them a weak smile and turned back to his letter. Soon Ron and Hermione's giggles were faded as he concentrated on what to write next.

'_To be deeply honest with you, I hate it here. it's cold, it's gloomy and for starters, your not here with me. Something inside me tells me that if you were here, this would be a lot easier to do.'_

'Harry, come over here and have something to eat' Hermione called to him kindly.

'Honestly, 'Mione, I'm fine'

'If your sure' and she continued toasting her now melting Marshmallow.

' I know I'm totally contradicting myself here because I told you it's not a good idea for you to come, but, I'd rather know your alive and well then know your in danger with me. I love you too much. If I ever saw one measly person who looked threatening touch you, I'd kill them. If anyone hurt you I would throttle them and if anyone ever killed you, I'd kill them, then myself. It sounds dramatic but you are one of the most important people to me, if not the most! 

'Harry you have got to come over here and here this joke Ron just told! It's so funny!' Hermione battled to say during fits of giggles.

Harry decided to end the letter quickly before it got too much.

'_Anyway, this kind of talk is probably doing no one any favours. Just remember I love you and I know I've said it so many times but I will come back to you_

_-Harry x'_

Harry rolled the parchment up, sealed it with some stray ribbon from his bag, called Hedwig over and tidied up his ink and quill.

'Take this to Ginny' he said to the Snowy owl as he attached the letter to her stiff leg 'Give her a nice peck from me'

Hedwig clicked her beak as a sign that she understood and flew out into the moonlight. He walked over to the now, uncontrollable Ron and Hermione and sat on the dusty floor opposite them.

'Hey look! Mead!' Ron exclaimed between breaths as he drew out a green, old looking bottle from his worn away backpack. He gave a menacing smile. Harry wasn't going to turn down the swig that was offered to him.

'Do you really think that's a good idea?' Hermione asked, now back to her serious self.

'Oh come off it 'Mione! It's dark and difficult times now! Got to have a little fun' Ron argued, hicoughing mid-sentence.

Hermione seemed not to resist and took a tiny swig. Judging by her face, she thoroughly enjoyed it, and took another, much large gulp.

'So what's this joke then?'

xxx

Only an hour had passed, and the three teenagers, even Harry, were beyond control. Ron was literally rolling around the floor in hilarious laughter. Hermione giggled to herself as if some funny scene was playing in the fire she was staring at that no one else could see and Harry was mainly laughing at the sight of the now dust covered Ron.

It must off been very late as there was nothing to be heard of outside the cave apart from one thing that Hermione picked up first.

'Sssh! Quiet you two!' she hissed sternly

'What? What happened to you, Professor McGonagall wannabe?'

'RON this is serious. Someone is outside!'

'I heard it too.' Harry said, straining his neck around the entrance to the cave. 'C'mon'

Together the three stood up and drew their wands from their cloaks all with certain seriousness across their faces.

Harry led the way slowly across the cave. They were going so quietly and carefully that no sound could pass their ears.

'Help, he's going to kill me!' yelped a shrill voice from outside.

Harry, who had now luminated his wand, was the first to speak out of the three.

'Whose there?' he asked with a commanding voice.

'Please, I beg of you!' came the voice again.

'Show yourself!' Ron shouted

'Don't hurt me, please!'

'Just please come out from where your hiding, we won't hurt you!' Hermione said softly but loudly.

' That's it, I've had enough' said Harry and he broke into a run towards the opening of the cave with Ron and Hermione in tow. They ran out of the cave and came to a gathering of rigid rocks.

'Hey you!' Harry yelled as the again hurt movement, this time from behind the rocks. 'We're not going to hurt you! Just come out!'

Nothing could have prepared them for who they saw. With a quivering whimper, a tall, skinny boy appeared from behind the rocks with white blonde hair a lot longer and a lot greasier than Harry, Ron or Hermione could remember. The boy looked disturbed, in pain and hurt. They had never seen him like this. They had never thought they'd would! (Even though they hoped). Walking closer and slowly towards them, was a much hard up version of one of Harry's biggest enemies, Draco Malfoy.


	8. Just didn't realise

Chapter 8 

'What the bloody hell are you doing here?' hissed Ron, in total shock.

'Please, hear me out...'

'Get out you piece of scum!' Harry yelled

'Harry...' Malfoy began to plead.

'Oh so we're on first name terms are we now? Oh good. So hear this...Draco, get out of my sight!'

'Harry, he looks like he is in some serious trouble, can't we just…?'

'HERMIONE! If Snape didn't kill Dumbledore, Malfoy would have. He's on Voldemorts side!' Ron screamed.

'No, hang on a minute' Harry said thoughtfully, with his wand still raised and pointing at Malfoy's chest. 'Let's hear him out. If we're not happy, we'll kill him'

Hermione looked in state of panic and the last part of this comment, but decided to move aside to let Malfoy walk in the direction that Harry was pointing in. Ron however looked as if he could have keeled over. Malfoy, still trembling, walked with his head bowed into the hollow and edged himself right into a dark corner on the far side of the cave.

Hermione re-sat herself on the log and begun to play with the marshmallows, now strewn around her feet from where she dropped them earlier. She looked like she didn't want anything to do with this. Harry and Ron, still with their wands raised, indicated that Malfoy should sit down.

'So C'mon scumbag, what's brought you here?' Ron enquired cruelly.

'Ron…' Hermione said in a warning tone, that Ron completely ignored.

'Ok, yeah Ron back off a bit.' Harry said. ' Doesn't mean we're gonna be nice though!' He said in a more commanding voice when he noticed Malfoy's face lighten up slightly.

'Why did you go over to him Draco?' Hermione asked.

'Because of my father!' He was still trembling 'I did it to save him!'

'He was in Azkaban! He couldn't be saved' said Harry.

'Yes he could! He wasn't going to stay there forever was he? As soon as he came out, the dark lord would have killed him on the spot for letting him down! Mother was too distraught to do anything, what with the dark lord giving me the task. And he understood completely...'

'Voldemort? Understanding? Give over Malfoy…'

'Sshh...Let him finish!'

'I don't need you, mudblood, sticking up for me!' Malfoy raged.

'And you would be better of to appreciate any kindness you're receiving as you no where near deserve it! Ron seamed to have had enough. His veins were pulsing as he raised himself above the log, wand pointing squarely at Malfoy's chest, spit flying out with his words and his chest exhaling and inhaling like ever before.

'Ok Ok fine'

'But if you were given a task by 'his lordship'' Harry said with slight pompousness 'Why didn't you do it? Kill Dumbledore I mean?'

'How would you feel Potter? Being told to kill that brainless oaf Hagrid?'

'That is not the same is it? You hated Dumbledore! And you were most definitely the darkest student the whole school!'

'Oh you don't know the half of it Potter. You don't know anything about me at all! You just assume, just like everyone else…'

'Well you didn't try much to change it did you?' Ron piped up.

Malfoy ignored him. 'I hated my father! Never treated me like a son! All that talk about him being proud of me? Utter rubbish! A complete cover story! I wouldn't have cared whether or not Voldemort killed him…' by this time he was shaking with fury, that Hermione thought he was going to be sick.

'So what was with "my father this, my father that" eh?'

'It gained me respect! No-one dared be nice to me, to befriend me, to find out the real meaning of Malfoy, just to be hurt'

'My my, Draco with feelings, never of thought..' Ron said with utter sarcasm. By this time Hermione seemed of had quite enough.

'Ronald! If you honestly think you are going to get anything out of Malfoy, you're going the wrong ways about it aren't you? Now I suggest you shut up and stop acting all superior because all it is doing is making you like an utter prat!'

Ron just stood there, opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish, which he usually did when out smarted by Hermione, and sat down reluctantly back onto the log.

'Basically, all _I _want to know is, what on earth are you doing _here_?' Harry questioned.

'Well I realised, what with Voldemort being the reason that you are who you are, how your un-happy life has shaped, that you weren't going to just let him live were you? I know about the Horcruxes Potter. I also know about the 'lessons' you were having with Dumbledore...'

'How did you...?'

'Does that really matter now? Anyway the point is, I somehow knew that you would be going after the Horcruxes and stuff. And I knew you'd be coming here. he paused and looked at Harry's confused expression ' oh come on if I found out you were having private 'lessons' with Dumbledore you didn't think I'd find out about what they were about did you?'

'I under estimated the Dark lord's powers…'

'Stop calling his that, he is no more of a Lord than I am a Lady' said Harry

'Ok then. His powers are a lot greater than many think. He just doesn't show it' fear began to grow in his dark blue eyes again ' I couldn't take it anymore. All these things he was making me do…'

'Like what Draco?' Hermione asked sympathetically. He just ignored her.

'I had to come! Look what he has done to my father. My mother. Scared them hasn't he? Well he isn't going to scare me...'

'Well he obviously has' Ron muttered under his breathe.

'When it comes down to it' Malfoy drew in a deep breathe ' Potter, whatever you three are doing to stop him, I want to help.'

'Absolutely not!' Ron raised his voice so much that dust from the ceiling fell.

'Harry, we can't! Not at all! How do we know he is telling the truth!'

Soon enough, a full-blown argument had begun between the four teenagers. Ron was adamant that Malfoy couldn't stay and breath the same air as them a minute longer. Harry was busy holding Ron back from doing anything completely stupid and Hermione was sitting there saying he thoughts of Malfoy's presence having it's used and draw backs aloud.

'Well I for one don't think this will help at all! Harry, he might as well stay for one night yeah? I mean what can happen?'

'With a death eater sleeping near you? Do you want me to start a list?' Ron said.

'Ron shut up! Harry?' Harry looked unsure. 'Oh come on if you are left to be convinced he is not a death eater enquire him in the morning but we're not going to get much out of him when he is almost falling asleep?'

Harry gave a nod of agreement and indicated to Malfoy to get up and walk to the left where the others had set up their sleeping bags. Harry followed him with Hermione at his tail. They walked past Ron who has leaning against the wall and looking at the ceiling in great disgust.

'And if you're so un-happy with this arrangement, you can stay up all night and guard him! Goodnight Ronald.' And with that she left him to follow the others to bed.

''Yeah what a good night this will turn out to be if you get killed' he huffed under his breath. Again.

xxxxx

'Hermione?'

'What?' Hermione hissed.

Hermione and Ron were alone in the front of the cave, in the very early hours of the morning, obviously neither could get any sleep. Harry could be heard snoring healthily and Draco must have been so tired, he went out like a light as soon as his head touched his rock pillow.

'Why were you being so friendly towards Malfoy last night? He doesn't deserve it.'

Hermione's angry expression left her face. 'Well there is no real point in being nasty to someone unless you can prove they're done bad…'

'But Hermione he's…'

'I know what he was _forced_ to do. He didn't do it out of his own will!' she started to get slightly angry again. 'What would you do if it were your family being threatened? And that the only way they're lay off is if you did something terrible?' a tear fell down from her eyes. 'I just don't think that we need any more hate than this world has already got.'

Ron still couldn't believe that Malfoy was totally innocent, but parted his feelings aside on the matter when he spotted that one single tear streaming down Hermione's rosy cheeks. He rushed over to her.

'I never realised…I'm so sorry' he said whilst wrapping his arm around her and wiping the tear from her face'

'It doesn't matter. I know it's hard for everyone…' but she was interrupted, as Ron had placed a soft kiss upon her, in Ron's opinion, perfect lips.


End file.
